Conveyer



May 31, 1932.

A. SHIPLEY OONVEYER original Filed-Aug. 30. 192*?- 4 sheetshet 1 May 31, 1932. R. A. SHIPLEY I GONVEYER I Original Filed AugQ SO. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LL! Lu mm m May 31, 1932.

R. A SHIPLEY OONVEYER Original Filed Aug. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Patented May 31, 1932 7' UNITED! STATES PATENT; oFFiCE- f? BUY A SHIPLEY, F CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR BY MESNE ASSIGiNMENTS, TO NATIONAL 'FIREI'ROQFING CORPORATION, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,- A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA convnynn Original application filed. AugustBO, 1927, Serial No. 216,373. Dividedand this application filed December 3, 1928.

My invention relates to conveyers, and particularly to conveyers for making closed til-e.

In my copending application for closed tile and app N0. 216,37 3, filed Aug. 30,1927, of which the present application is a division, I have illustrated and described a method and appara-. tus for making closed tiles, which apparatusincludes a conveyer transferring hollow tile blocks of ceramic material from a die to a turntable. The turntable is rotated to bring the open ends of the tile opposite to means for applying slabs which close the ends of the tile. The slabs are conveyed from the same i die through which the ceramic material forming the tile isextruded.

The ceramic material: s extruded from a commercial form of molding machinery in posed. Thesuccessive sections of-the-con the form of a continuous hollow tile body.

4 This body is placed on the conveyer. After the body is cut into sections, the'conveyer turns the tile sections into position to have their ends closed by pieces cut from continuously moving strips of material. These strips are preferably extruded from the same successive sectionsmoving at difieren-t rates of speed, between which a turntable is disveyer move at increasing rates of speed in order that tile sections may be halted, on the turntable for a sufiicient length-of timeto close their ends and remove them iromthe turntable without interfering with the continuous extruding operationof the die. For

closing the ends of the tile sections, the turntable turns the sections sufficiently to'present their open ends at 'thesides of the conveyer.

iVhile in their turned position, cutters are moved to cut sections from the flanking strips i and press them on to the ends of the tile secaratus for making the same, Serial Serial No. 323,318.

tions. The ends of tile sections are moistenedprevious to the reception of the closing strips. After the ends of the tile are closed, the tile is pushed on to a section of the conveyer beyond the turntable, movingat a high enough rate of speed to withdraw the .fin-

ished'tile from the turntable before another is provided for halting the movement of the.

tile sections as they are fed to. the turntable. The stops also control, preferably through electromagnet means, a clutch mechanism for turning the turntable. The control system includes means for selectively depressing thestops to permit the finished tile to moveofi' the turntable at the end of the closing opera? tion and tostop oncoming tile. By utilizing asystem of electrical control, the foregoing operations may be conducted at relatively high speed and changes may readily be made in the settings of the constituent parts of the device. i i y In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate -a present preferred embodiment of my invention, I i

Fig. lis a perspective view showing the relative'positions of the component parts of the tile before they are brought into engage-- ment;

Fig.2 is an end view of a die for shaping the parts shown in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a conveyer embodying my invention; I

Fig.4 isa v1ew,. partially in elevation and partially in section of the turntable embodied in the conveyer;

Fig. 5 is an edge Fig. 4:;

mechanism, and

cuits for the machine.

view of a portion of'the turntable taken along the line V V of 85.. Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the clutch Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a hollow tile 2 having open ends 4 is formed by cutting a body 5 of ceramic material extruded from a die 6 into sections. The die 6 is of well known form and is placed on the end of an auger machine 7 adapted to extrude material and form a continuous box-like body. At each end of the die 6 openings 10 are provided for forming strips or slabs 11 of the same material as the body 5. The strips 11 arespaced from the body portion 5 by'wa-lls 12. The walls 12 may be provided with fluted plates 14 for scoring flutes 15 along the inner edges of the strips 11 The auger machine 7 is operated continuously and at a rate of speed dependent upon the constitur ency and thickness of the walls of the tile.

As the'body portion 5 is extruded from the die 6 with its open ends at right angles to the strips 11, it is necessary that the sections 2 be turned through substantially a right angle before the sections of'the strips are applied to the open ends 4.

' Referring to Fig. 3, as the body 5 is extruded from the die 6, it passes over a plate 16 carried by the machine 7 on to a conveyer 17. Theconveyer 17 may be in the form of a. belt. The rate of speed of the conveyer 17 is in excess of the rate at which the body 5 moves across the plate 16 in order that sections of the body 5 reaching the conveyer 17 may bespeeded up sufliciently to permit the turning and closing operation'while permitting a continuous extruding operation from. the'die 6. The body 5 is cut into sections by a wire 18, preferably supported by arms 19 mounted on the plate 16. The arms 19 are operated by any suitable mechanism, not shown. The cutting wire 18 may be disposed so as to separate the sections to form the body 5 after they are in engagement with the conveyer 17, if desired. However, in locating the wire 18 to cut the body 5 into sections after the former is in engagement with the conveyer 17, care must be exercised to prevent the roughening of the surfaces of the sections 2 by reason of slippage.

'The strips 11'are fed through guideways 20 extending parallel to and in spaced relation with the edges of the plate 16 and conveyer 17 Near the ends of the conveyer 17, the guideways 20 are flared outwardly to clear the edges of the turntable 21 Sprays 20a are located in the flared portions of the guideways20 for a vpurpose hereinafter more fully described.

'The turntable 21 delivers the tile sections 2 to a conveyer 22 operating at a materially higher rate of speed than the conveyer 17 in order to withdraw finished tiles from the turntable 21 faster than they are fed onto it. The movement of the material from the auger machine 7 along the conveyer first takes place over the plate 16 where the body 5 is cut into the sections 2, that are moved by the conbrought to position to intercept the oncom-- ing tile section after the finished section is discharged from the turntable 21.; g g

Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, for closing ends 4 of the sections 2, cams 23 are mounted at the sides of the conveyer substantially in alinement with the axis of the turn table 21. The cams 23 are turned in synchronism with a drive shaft 24 for the turntable 21. Each cam 23 a'ctuates a cutting plate 25 having a reciprocating movement between faces 26 and 27 formed in the guideways 20. 25 is connected to its corresponding cam 23 by a rod 28 extending through a bearing 29, and a roller 30 disposed in a groove 31 in the cam 23. The travel of the plates 25 is such that they are entirely withdrawn from the passageways in the guideways 20 when in their restricted position, in order that the strips 11 may move across the opening between the faces 26 and 27. By providing cutting sun faces at both'ends of the plates 25, the strips 11 are cut into sections, the ends of which are regular and even. The material severed along the faces 27 and remaining in the guideways 20 is discharged through openings 32.

As the strips 11 are continuously extruded from the die 6, simultaneously with the body portion 5, the natural rate of movement "of the strips 11 through the guideways 20 is the sameas that of the body portion 5 along the plate 16. But since the sections 2 are speeded up during their travel over the conveyer l7 and as an appreciable delay occurs while the sections2 are being turned by the turntable 21, enough material traverses the openin 's between the faces 26 and 27 to provide end strips for the tile sections 2 providing that the width of the tile is less than its length when severed by the wire 18. In'the event that the width of the tile is substantially equal to or greater than its length, provision must be made for increasing the speed of the strips 11 through the guideways 20. This may be accomplished by extruding the strips 11 through dies separated from the die 6.

As the tile sections 2are received on the turntable 21 they move forward until they engage one of a number of stops '34 by which they are halted. -Each stop 34 extends upwardly through an opening 35 in the turntable 21. and is biased to an inner position by a spring 36. Each stop 34 has an individual Thereafter the P Each plate lug 37 carrying a roller 38 travellingin a stationar cam 39. l iy this construction the position of the stop 34' is controlled by its position along the cam 39'... Each stop 34 is 7 provided witha switch 40'normally, held in openposition by'thexspring 36.

. depressed points are opposite the cams 23 and electromagnet 66, for closing a switch 67' connectingthe winding 52 to the supply con-' ductors 54 and 60. Immediately upon the on the center line of the conveyer 17 for permlttmg'the sect ons of the strips 11 to pass thereover and for permitting the oncoming tile sections 2 tomove on to the turntable 21, respectively. v

Referring to Fig. 5, the flexible section 42 is constituted by bars 44 secured by hinges 45 to the sides of the cam 39; r The bars 44 are provided with pins .46 at their outer ends. The pins 46 are disposed in slots 47 in a yoke 48.. Springs 49 normally bias the yoke 48 in a downwardly position. An armature 50 of an electromagnet 51 is attached to the bottom of the yoke 48. Uponthe energizationof the winding 52 of electromagnet 51, the yoke 48 is raised to lift the bars 44into the plane of the side of the cam 39,thereby raising the stop 34 above the surface of the turntable 21. The cam'section 42 is disposed to intercept the oncoming tile section 2at the rear of the turntable 21 and stop it preparatory to the turning movement. The cam section 42 is in'its raised position only for a short period of time while halting the oncoming tile sections 2. During the remainder of the time, the stop 34, temporarily locatedthereat, is in a depressed position.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 7, as soon as any stop 34 is pressed backwardly against its associated-spring 36, the associated switch 40 is closed. Theclosing ofthe switch 40 completes a circuit from a supply conductor .2 54, through a slip ring 55 carried by the shaft 24 of the turntable, the winding 56 of an electromagnet 57, the switch 40 to a second slip ring 58 on theshaft 24' and a conductor 59 to anotherconductor 60 of the supply circuit. The energization of any electromagnet 57 causes a clutch 61, carried by the shaft 24, to engage a bevelled "gear 62 driven by a shaft 64 for turning the turntable 21".

The oncomingtile section 2 moving onto the turntable 21 crowds thefinished tile section2'on to the conveyor 22. Movement of the tile sectionalong the conveyor 22 closes I I I, 7

net 57 andjreleasing the clutch member 82' 1 the'con- 125 a switch 65; switch65 isin circuit with an energization of the electromagnet 52, the, stop 34 disposed in the flexible section 42 of the cam is raised tostop theoncoming dissection. Upon the closing ofthe switch 40 by the oncoming tile section, a circuit :is com pleted'for energizing the slip ring 58% heretofore described. a I

-When' theslip ring 58 is energized, a slip 1 ring 68 having a plurality of insulating sections 0 along its outer face and a continuous conductor 71 along its inner face is eners gized. A brush 72 bears againstthe outer surface of the slip ring 68 and is connected to an electromagnet 74, the other end of which is connected by a conductor 75 to the supply conductor 60. Accordingly, the brush 72 completes a circuit through the slip ring 68to the conductors 54 and 60. When the brush 7 2 is opposite the insulating sections 70 of the slipring 68, the circuit is open. The closing of the circuit through the electromagnet 7 4 opens the switch 67, thereby de'energizing the electromagnet 52 and permitting the-yoke 48 to return to its lower, position under the in fiuence of the springs 49. The insulated sections 70 are disposed around the shaft 24 so as to be opposite the'brush 72'during the periods when any stop-34 is required for stopping movement of a tile'section 2 moving on to the turntable 21.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, the clutch 61 is constituted by a hub 7 6 mounted on the shaft 24 and having four outwardly extending arms 77, the lower'end of each of which pivotally supports a lever 78. The outer end of each lever 7 8 is connectedto the armature of one of the electromagnets' 57. The inner end of each lever 7 8 is provided with a pin 79 extendingthrougha slot 80 in a lug81 extending outwardly from a clutch member 82 that ismovable longitudinally of the shaft 24. The clutch member 82is keyed to shaft 24 and is normally biased to a raised position by springs 84. The lower face of the clutch member 82 is provided with teeth 85 for engaging teeth 86 on the bevelled gear 62.

By this construction the clutch member 82 is normally held out of engagement with the gear 62 by the action of the springs 84. However, upon energization of any electromagn et 57, the corresponding lever 7 8 is turned to depress theclutch member 82 and bring. the

teeth 85 and 86 into engagement whereupon the shaft'24 is turned during such period as the electromagnet 57 remains energized. 'As

soon as the departing tile'section 2 opens the I 7 switch 65, and the electromagnet 74' is en'er gized to open the switch 67, the stop 34 opposite the cam section 42 is depressed and the associated switch 40 is opened, thereby deenergizing the'winding 56 ofthe electromagfrom: engagement with gear 62 by traction of the springs 84.

"While I have shown the angular movement of the turntable 21 to be substantially 90 for each actuation of the clutch mechanism 61, it is to be understood that the angular move ment of the turntable 21'may be varied if deteeth 91 corresponds to the number of stops desired during each complete revolution of the turntable 21. Gears 92 are continuousl driven by the gear 62 and are provided witteeth 94 engaging the clutch teeth 95 for driving shafts 96' connected through intermediate gear 97 to the cams 23. The teeth 95 are carried on the shaft 96 by barrel cams100 biased into en agement with the gears 92 by springs 101. utward movement of the barrel cams 100 under the influence of springs 101 is resisted'by pins 102 travelling in the grooves 103 of the barrel cams. The pins 102 are biased upwardly by coil springs 104. Levers 105 are pivotally mounted on the frame supportingthe shafts 96. The inner ends of the levers 105 ride-over the teeth 91 on the collar 90 and the outer ends are pivoted to the pins 102. During the turning movement of the'shaft 24, the inner ends of the levers 105 ride upwardly on the teeth 91 which action withdraws the teeth 102 from engagement with the barrel cams 100. Upon the releaseof the barrelcams 100 they are moved inwardly bythe expansion of the springs 101 and cause the teeth 94 and 95 to mesh, thereby imparting motion to the cams 23.

As .the shaft 24 continues to turn the inner ends of the levers 105 drop over the top of the teeth 91, during which time the ends of the pins 102 ride on the outer face of the barrel cams 100. This condition continues until 6'. the barrel cams 100 have turned sufiiciently to permit the pins 102 to re-enter the grooves 1.03 under the expansiveforce of the springs 104. Continued turning movement of the barrel. cams 100 causes the edges of the cams to bear against the edges of the pins 102 and move the barrel cams 100outwardly out of engagement with the gears 92, whereupon movement of the shafts 96 and cams 23 is discontinued.

The ratio between the gears 62 and .92 is such that a complete revolution of the cams 23 is had during each operation of the clutch mechanism 61. Since the shaft 24 only moves during the turning movement of the turntable 21, the barrel cams 100 are released only at the completion of each turning movement of the turntable 21 and, accordingly, the subsequential operation of the cams 23 insures-that the plates 25, actuated by the cams 23 move forward to close the ends of the tile sections with strip sections 11 at the proper time.

I After the ends 4 of the sections 2 are closed by the strip section 11, the oncoming tile section 2 engages the finished tile section 2 and .24 is provided with a collar 90' moves it forwardly far enough for it to be seized by the conveyer 22. Since the conveyer section 22 moves at a higher rate of speed than the conveyer 17, the outgoing tile section is drawn away from the incoming tile section. As the outgoing tile section closes the switch 65, the stop 34 in front of the advancing tile section 2 is raised. Upon the enened by the sprays 20a previous to the re ception of the closing sections. The foregoing cycle of operations takes place automatically and continuously and at a rate of speed determined by the rate of extrusion from the auger machine 7.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a conveyer system, a plurality of conveyer sections for moving material, a turntable disposed between certain of the comeyer sections, and means for performing work upon the material while halted on the turns table.

2. In a turntable structure, a material receiving member, continuously operable driving mechanism, and means controlled by the movement of material on the material receiving member for controlling the connection between the driving mechanism and the material receiving member.

3. In a turntable structure, a table for receiving material from. a conveyer, a clutch mechanism for actuating the table, and a control mechanism for the clutch mechanism comprising a stop for material moving across the table. I

4. In a turntable structure, a table for receiving material from a conveyer. a clutch mechanism for actuating the table, a control mechanism for the clutch mechanism comprising a stop for material moving across the table, and means for rendering the stop member inoperative after a predetermined movement of the table.

5. In a turntable structure, a table, a clutch for controlling the movement of the table, a plurality of stops carried by the table, and means for controlling the operation of the clutch in accordance with the movement of the stops.

6. Ina turntable structure, a table, a clutch for controlling the movement'of' the table, a plurality of stops carried by the table, means for controlling the operation ofthe clutch in accordance with the movement of the stops, and means for successively render ing the stops inoperative after a predetermined movement of the table.

7. In a turntable structure, a table, a camming surface stationarily mounted beneath the table, and a plurality'of stops carried by V the table for limiting movement ofmaterial thereon and engaging the camming surface whereby the stops are'actuated in accordance with the movement of the table.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROY A. SHIPLEY. 

